TRIALS OF ROYALTY.

Shannon News, 1 April 1927, Page 3

TRIALS OF ROYALTY.

''MY DEAR ROYAL HIGHNESS .'' DUKE GIVEN A BASSINETTE. , DUNEDIN, March 24. "I so wanted to see you, my dear Royal Highness," said an old lady who approached the smiling Duke of York when at Lumsden, at the same time holding out her wizened arid workscarred hand. "You know. lam nearly 80, and counting my grandchildren have been responsible for bringing two hundred into the world." The old lady, who received an affectionate handshake from the Royal visitor, left obviously delighted with the •'dear Royal Highness," and joined v number of her folk—perhaps some of her two hundred children. The Duke was embairassed and amns-

«1 in turns at Invercargill when a couple of voung ladies approached him 1 armed with a bassinette in which reI posed a kewpie bedecked in blue ribbon. Those who have showered gifts upon the Rcyal visitor during his sol journ in the Dominion have obviously I striven to b?stow something that he is not likely to have duplicated elsewhere, but the basinette and' its celluloid oc--1 eupant were something quite original and certainly, appealed to His Boyal Highness, who., after recovering from his first surprise, burst into hearty laughter which he repeated every time his eyes alighted upon the gift. The present, of course, was for his little-dau-ghter, Princess Elizabeth, and wa3 given by th« s«heel ohjldrea »f South--1 laud.